Paladin
Paladins must have a deity to serve. If a player plans on multiclassing with a paladin, refer below for information on paladins and paladin orders in FRC. Note: Paladin characters may '''NOT' take the Blackguard prestige class. Should you wish for your Paladin to fall from grace, you must contact a DM.'' General Paladin Information All paladins of Faerun are devoted to a patron deity, chosen at the start of their career as paladins. Like paladins of other lands, the paladins of Faerun must be both lawful and good. The paladin's deity must be lawful good, lawful neutral, or neutral good. For example, both Helm the Vigilant One (lawful neutral) and Chauntea the Earthmother (neutral good) have lawful good paladin worshippers. Sune, the goddess of beauty, love, and passion, is an exception to the alignment rule, for her followers include paladins even though her alignment is chaotic good. Additional information on the paladins of some of Faerun's religions appears paladin orders page. Alignment Paladins must be Lawful Good, and they lose their divine powers if they deviate from that alignment. Additionally, paladins swear to follow a code of conduct that is in line with lawfulness and goodness. Background No one ever chooses to be a paladin. Becoming a paladin is answering a call, accepting one's destiny. No one, no matter how diligent, can become a paladin through practice. The nature is either within one or not, and it is not possible to gain the paladin's nature by any act of will. It is possible, however, to fail to recognize one's own potential, or to deny one's destiny. Occasionally, one who is called to be a paladin denies that call and pursues some other life instead. Code of Conduct A paladin must be of Lawful Good alignment and loses all class abilities if she ever willingly commits an evil act. Additionally, a paladin's code requires that she respect legitimate authority, act with honor (not lying, not cheating, not using poison, and so forth), help those in need (provided they do not use the help for evil or chaotic ends), and punish those who threaten innocents. Associates While she may adventure with characters of any good or neutral alignment, a paladin will never knowingly associate with evil characters, nor will she continue an association with someone who consistently offends her moral code. A paladin may accept only henchmen, followers, or cohorts who are lawful good. Multiclassing Like a member of any other class, a paladin may be a multiclass character, but multiclass paladins face a special restriction. A paladin who gains a level in any class other than paladin may never again raise her paladin level, though she retains all her paladin abilities. The path of the paladin requires a constant heart. If a character adopts this class, she must pursue it to the exclusion of all other careers. Once she has turned off the path, she may never return. See Paladin Orders for exceptions. Strictures Lawful Good Alignment Every paladin must be Lawful Good. The moment he abandons the conditions of this alignment is the moment he stops being a paladin. At the heart of a Lawful Good alignment is the belief in a system of laws that promotes the welfare of all members of a society, ensures their safety, and guarantees justice. So long as the laws are just and applied fairly to all people, it doesn't matter to the paladin whether they originate from a democracy or a dictator. Though all Lawful Good systems adhere to the same general principles, specific laws may be different. One society may allow a wife to have two husbands, another may enforce strict monogamy. Gambling may be tolerated in one system, forbidden in another. A paladin respects the laws of other Lawful Good cultures and will not seek to impose his own values on their citizens. However, a paladin will not honor a law that runs contrary to his alignment. A government may believe that unregulated gambling provides a harmless diversion, but a paladin may determine that the policy has resulted in devastating poverty and despair. In the paladin's mind, the government is guilty of a lawless act by promoting an exploitative and destructive enterprise. In response, the paladin may encourage citizens to refrain from gambling, or he may work to change the law. Particularly abhorrent practices, such as slavery and torture, may force the paladin to take direct action. It doesn't matter if these practices are culturally acceptable or sanctioned by well-meaning officials. The paladin's sense of justice compels him to intervene and alleviate as much suffering as he can. Note, though, that time constraints, inadequate resources, and other commitments may limit his involvement. While a paladin might wish for a cultural revolution in a society that tolerates cannibalism, he may have to content himself with rescuing a few victims before circumstances force him to leave the area. When will a paladin take a life? A paladin kills whenever necessary to promote the greater good, or to protect himself, his companions, or anyone whom he's vowed to defend. In times of war, he strikes down the enemies of his ruler or church. He does not interfere with a legal execution, so long as the punishment fits the crime. Otherwise, a paladin avoids killing whenever possible. He does not kill a person who is merely suspected of a crime, nor does a paladin necessarily kill someone he perceives to be a threat unless he has tangible evidence or certain knowledge of evildoing. He never kills for treasure or personal gain. He never knowingly kills a lawful good being. Though paladins believe in the sanctity of innocent life, most kill animals and other nonaligned creatures in certain situations. A paladin may kill animals for food. He will kill a monster that endangers humans, even if the monster is motivated by instinct, not evil. While some paladins avoid hunting for sport, others may hunt to sharpen their combat and tracking skills. Wealth Limits A paladin has no interest in wealth for its own sake. He seeks spiritual rather than material satisfaction, derived from serving his faith and his government to the best of his ability. To a paladin, the pleasures of ownership are fleeting, superficial, and ultimately debasing. The rewards of duty are lasting and deep. Still, the paladin realizes that a certain amount of money is necessary to survive. Rather than forego money altogether, he retains enough wealth to meet his worldly obligations and sustain a modest lifestyle. A paladin doesn't expect handouts, nor does he rely on the generosity of strangers or his companions. He feels responsible to pay his own way and takes pride in his self-sufficiency. He earns income from treasure, rewards, and fees, the same as anyone else. Unlike most other characters, however, the paladin operates under strict guidelines as to how he can spend his money and how much he can save. Tithing A paladin must give 10% of all his income to a Lawful Good institution. This 10% is called a tithe. In most cases, a paladin tithes to his church or other religious organization. If he doesn't belong to a church or operates independently, he may designate any lawful good organization, such as a hospital or university, as the recipient of his tithes. A paladin has no say in how his tithes are spent, though the money typically goes towards the institution's maintenance, recruitment, equipment, and education costs. A paladin usually tithes to the same institution for his entire career. Tithes are due only on funds the paladin actually claims for himself. If he walks away from a treasure or refuses a reward, no tithes are necessary. Alignment of Associates A paladin is known by the company he keeps. Ideally, a paladin associates only with good-aligned companions. Relationships with neutral characters may be tolerated in limited circumstances, but prolonged contact may result in an ethos violation. Any association with an evil-aligned character can be construed as an evil act. In general, a paladin bears responsibility for the actions of his associates, even those taken without his knowledge or consent. Hirelings Without exception, all of a paladin's men-at-arms and stronghold employees must be lawful good. The paladin should do his best to determine their alignment before he hires them. Should a hireling commit an evil act or otherwise reveal himself to be of an alignment other than lawful good, the paladin has no recourse but to fire him and, if necessary, turn him over to the proper authorities for prosecution. In some cases, a paladin shares responsibility for the evil actions of his hirelings. For instance, a paladin's stable master commits murder. The paladin may not be legally liable, but he may be considered an accomplice in an ethical sense. Although the authorities may not prosecute the paladin, he may still suffer a punishment for violating his ethos, particularly if he was remiss in investigating the stable master's background prior to his employment. As always, it's up to the DM to determine if an ethos violation has been committed. Henchmen A paladin accepts only lawful good characters as henchmen. As with a hireling, the paladin should make every effort to determine a potential henchman's alignment before an alliance develops. The paladin must immediately dismiss a henchman who commits an evil act. Good characters In an adventuring party, a paladin naturally gravitates to other lawful good player characters, making them his confidants and closest companions. Rarely, however, can a paladin choose the composition of his party, as fate often throws together characters of vastly different outlooks. A paladin cooperates with a party so long as the majority of the characters are good-aligned; a majority of neutral characters or the presence of even a single evil character may present problems. A paladin can maintain a comfortable partnership with a neutral good characters, despite his reservations about the neutral good character's indifference to social structures. However, the neutral good character must be working strictly in the interests of good. A paladin is less at ease with chaotic good characters, owing to their independent nature and lack of respect for authority. But a paladin will work with chaotic good characters so long as their behavior complies with his goals. Neutral characters Next to good characters, some paladins feel most comfortable with lawful neutral characters, admiring them for their sense of duty and loyalty to their government. This, of course, presumes the lawful neutral characters serve reasonably benevolent governments, not despots or slave traders. A paladin will cooperate with a party that contains a minority of lawful neutral or true neutral characters. But he most likely keeps neutral characters at arm's length, resisting their gestures of friendship. Instead, he tries to serve as an example to the neutral characters, hoping to convince them through words and deeds that a commitment to good results in a richer, fuller life. So long as neutral characters refrain from committing evil acts, a paladin continues to work with them. A paladin won't join a party consisting entirely of neutral characters, unless the stakes are exceptionally high. He may, for instance, work with a neutral party to retrieve a holy artifact, rescue his king, or save his church from destruction. For less momentous undertakings, such as treasure hunts or reconnaissance expeditions, the paladin should excuse himself. Evil characters Because he is duty-bound to suppress evil, a paladin won't tolerate an evil PC. He may take the evil PC into custody, physically restrain him, or demand his expulsion from the party. If all else fails, the paladin severs his ties with the party and go his own way. In any event, inaction is unacceptable. A paladin finds it difficult, if not impossible, to avoid contact with evil NPCs. They're everywhere: walking down a street, dining at an inn, shopping at a bazaar. A paladin's ethos doesn't compel him to attack or even confront all evil NPCs; in many cases, hostile confrontations could be counterproductive, particularly if such an action distracts the paladin from a more important mission, or if it triggers retaliation from the NPC's companions against innocent bystanders. Time and circumstances permitting, a paladin may question evil NPCs, follow them, or make inquiries about them. None of these actions violate a paladin's ethos when used in moderation. (However, spying and similar actions should be a last resort, because they connote deception). A paladin walks on shaky ground, however, the moment he begins an association with an evil NPC that could be perceived as friendly or compliant. Edicts Edicts include commands, instructions, and traditions the paladin has pledged to obey, usually imposed by the paladin's patron. The paladin must follow his edicts to the letter; he takes them as seriously as any other element of his ethos. A paladin doesn't choose which edicts to follow. Rather, he pledges to follow any and all edicts issued by specified sources. The paladin chooses his sources when he begins his career. Additionally, the DM may make recommendations or require specific sources. The DM determines the nature of all edicts. He also decides how they apply and when they occur. At the DM's direction, a source may issue a set of edicts at the outset of a paladin's career. Alternately, a source may wait to issue edicts until a particular event occurs (such as the acquisition of a stronghold or a declaration of war). At any time, a source may issue new edicts, modify old edicts, or suspend standing edicts. It's possible that a source may never issue an edict. In any case, it's up to the paladin to keep track of his edicts and follow them exactly. Occasionally, edicts from different sources may conflict. For instance, a paladin's church might issue an edict that clashes with an edict from his government. In most cases, religious edicts take priority over edicts from other sources. In all cases, a paladin's strictures and core principles have priority over strictures issued by any social institution. Virtues Virtues are traits exemplifying the highest standards of morality, decency, and duty. They comprise the paladin's personal code. Although not specifically detailed in the PH definition of a paladin, a paladin's virtues are implied by his strictures as well as his outlook, role, and personality. Just as a paladin must obey his strictures, he must also remain true to his virtues. Though most paladins adhere to all of the virtues described below, exceptions are possible. For instance, a paladin from a primitive society may be so unfamiliar with civilized etiquette that including courtesy as part of his ethos would be unreasonable. All adjustments must be cleared by the DM at the outset of a paladin's career. There are no rules for adjudicating virtue violations. The DM is advised to err in favor of the paladin when the player makes honest mistakes. Conversely, the player should graciously accept the DM's rulings and, in the spirit of the paladin, avoid looking for loopholes to take advantage of the DM's good will. The entries below include examples of how virtues might influence the paladin's behavior in the context of a game. Courtesy To a paladin, courtesy involves more than merely following rules of etiquette. It's also an attitude, a way of presenting himself to the world. A paladin carries himself proudly, maintains self-control, and accepts ill-mannered behavior with grace. He follows social customs to the best of his ability. He is polite and deferential to friends and strangers alike. Additionally, the paladin must: Consider the feelings of others and take care not to offend them. A paladin always demonstrates proper manners (shaking hands with friends, expressing gratitude for favors). He also keeps himself immaculately groomed (bathing regularly, wearing clean clothes). • Speak tactfully and kindly. A paladin never knowingly insults or slanders another person, even his greatest enemy. If others engage in insults or slander, the paladin walks away. Behave with dignity. A paladin refrains from emotional outbursts, excessive eating and drinking, foul language, and other boorish acts. Honesty A paladin always tells the truth as he knows it. He may decline to speak or choose to withhold information, but he will never intentionally mislead anyone, even his enemies. He may ask permission not to answer a direct question, but if pressed, he'll tell the truth (however, he may frame his answers in such a way as to withhold vital information). Though a paladin doesn't make promises lightly, once he gives his word, he always keeps it. Valor A paladin demonstrates unyielding courage in the face of adversity. No danger is too great to prevent him from fulfilling a promise or completing a mission. His commitment is stronger than his fear of pain, hardship, or even death. A paladin's valor is particularly evident on the battlefield. He regards war as a noble enterprise, and combat as an opportunity to glorify the institution he represents. A paladin attacks an enemy without hesitation, continuing to fight until the enemy withdraws or is defeated. Whenever possible, a paladin chooses the most formidable enemy—a powerful monster, a giant, a dragon, or the leader of an army—as his primary opponent. In general, a paladin prefers melee to missile combat, so he can engage his opponent face to face. Honor An honorable paladin conducts himself with integrity regardless of circumstance. He behaves in a morally sound manner even when he's by himself or when no one else will know of his actions. It's an admirable act to comfort a dying friend, but an act of honor to comfort a dying enemy. Honor also involves respect, not just for the paladin's peers and superiors, but for anyone sharing the paladin's commitment to goodness and justice. The paladin shows mercy to the repentant, and refuses to inflict undue suffering even on the vilest evildoer. Additionally, an honorable paladin: Defers to the judgment of all lawful good characters of superior social class, rank, and level. Acknowledges the dignity of all lawful good people, regardless of their race, class, or economic status, by treating them with courtesy and respect. Accepts all challenges to duel or fight given by those of comparable status and power. (A challenge from an arrogant youngster or a drunken warrior may go unheeded). Dies before compromising his principles, betraying his liege or faith, or abandoning a protected charge. Humility The paladin remains humble in spirit and action. He rejects adulation and declines awards. Tributes embarrass him; the knowledge of a job well done suffices as thanks. He speaks modestly of his deeds, if at all, grateful for the opportunity to fulfill his moral obligations. Generosity The paladin gladly shares his meager funds and possessions with anyone in need. If he owns two swords and a elderly hunter has none, the paladin offers one as a gift. He will give his last crust of bread to a hungry child, even if he must go without food for the rest of the day. He is also generous of spirit, always willing to lend an ear to a troubled companion or acknowledge a friend's accomplishments with lavish praise. Chastity The paladin avoids even the appearance of impropriety, remaining pure in word, deed, and thought. DM's Note: Chastity is not to be confused with celibacy. Some religions or churches may require celibacy, and others may not, but in all cases, the paladin must still remain chaste in his intentions and actions. Industry The paladin engages in productive activity at all times. He works diligently and hard until he completes the job at hand. When not working, he studies, exercises, or practices his combat skills. He considers leisure activities, small talk, and vacations to be time-wasting folly. Source Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. Wizards of the Coast. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5. Category:Introduction Category:Classes with orders Category:Paladin orders Category:Paladin Category:Spellcasters